UNIMAGINED - a Muslim boy meets the West

June 20, 2010

Kill your baby, dump your baby ... or make sure s/he is safe and has a future

Kill your baby, dump your baby ... or make sure s/he is safe and has a future

"When the girl-child that was buried alive,

Is asked for what crime she was slain?'

Al-Quran 81: 8-9

The baby Moses was placed in a reed basket and set adrift on the Nile -- to be found and brought up by Pharaoh's daughter. That was very lucky!

In Islamic countries -- with their strict sexual morality and enforced segregation of unmarried men and women -- there is obviously no sex outside marriage, and therefore no problem of unwanted babies. Theoretically.

So why is it that, in Malaysia alone, there are scores of babies abandoned every year? Left in secluded public places, like toilets and rubbish dumps, presumably in the hope and expectation that a kind stranger will find the child and ensure its well-being.

Sadly, many abandoned babies in Malaysia are not so lucky, dying of dehydration or even being eaten by wild dogs.

The problem is, of course, the shame of being an unmarried mother. Many young women hide their pregnancies from their families, perhaps get no support from the baby's father, and for them the only option seems to be to give birth in secret and then dump the child somewhere -- trusting that s/he will be found and looked after.

There is now, at least in Kuala Lumpur, a much better option.

Operating out of an innocuous detached house in a leafy cul-de-sac in the suburb of Petaling Jaya, OrphanCARE's mission is to get abandoned and orphaned children into suitable, permanent families as quickly as possible. It is thus not an orphanage per se, but more of a temporary safe home and adoption centre.

OrphanCARE works closely with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to expedite the adoption process whereby abandoned and orphaned babies and children are quickly matched up and placed with suitable parents.

OrphanCARE undertakes awareness programmes to make society recognize that orphans should not be left permanently in orphanages or shelter homes.

There is a database of interested adoptive parents with complete background profiles and OrphanCARE is working with orphanages, single mother shelter homes, hospitals and clinics to provide suitable families for orphans and unwanted or abandoned babies.

But most innovative is OrphanCARE's solution to secret 'baby-dumping', often conducted at night.

A state-of-the-art 'baby hatch' has been installed at the facility, allowing anonymous mothers to safely leave their babies, and enabling them to be swiftly and legally processed for adoption.

The mother leaves the baby inside the air-conditioned baby hatch. If she signs and leaves the consent form, it means that there is no need for a police report -- the baby can proceed immediately into the adoption process. (Not signing the form slows the adoption process down a lot, because a police investigation is triggered.)

Once the hatch is closed, it becomes locked (so that no-one else can steal the baby), an alarm sounds inside and the baby is visible on the television monitor. If the mother should change her mind, an intercom is available for her to talk to the centre staff.

The neighbours have all been surprisingly supportive of the OrphanCARE facility, and in the wider community there have been only a few opponents coming from a miserable religious perspective, asserting that this facility will encourage illicit sex.

The OrphanCARE baby hatch does not address the problem of inappropriate and careless sexual relationships, but it surely provides a better option than new-born babies being eaten by wild dogs. Who could argue against that?

Comments

Hi there. I am currently doing some public speaking assignment about baby hatch... and need to tell my audience about baby hatch: the reason for it. but i'm stuck on my point... i didn't get enough point. If you don't mind... can u help and share with me about this baby hatch things. I really appreciate it. Thank You.

I am a malaysian, married with children and living in Spain. My brother in-law and his wife are interested in adopting children from Malaysia so that my kids and his prospective adopted kids would have a common cultural bond.What does he need to do. My in-laws reside in Spain.

Hi
I am Puspa Sivan and would like to volunteer my services to care for the babies as I can see that you are doing it in a very professional manner and since I am an 'Infant and Toddler Development' Specialist I feel the need to support the programme.

hai....im intersted in adopting a newborn baby boy...n if possible it should b a punjabi or nothern indian baby.... both my husband n i have been trying for the last 15 years for a child but in vain as even gynes r not able to esplain... would really appreciate ur help n generousity..thanks

asa.
is it possible for UK citizens,non malaysia, who have been approved by the UK adoption authorities to adopt a new born baby from malaysia? how long would it take, what is the proceudre? there seems to be no information on this and lots of people are postin questtions and are desperate! jk, waslam

killing your baby is the worst thing you can do! It is a whole new person, how can one do this? Even if there is no money to raise it, you can give it away! Anyway it is better than killing... And giving a baby life and family is the best and most natural thing to do.
P.S. Thanks for this post!

Hi, Currently I am separated from my husband. I am in the education industry and have no one in my live, and I still yearn to have and raise a child. I am an Indian and is it possible for me to legally adopt a child. Any advise? I would raise the child as my own.

hi , im a single mother and i havent had any work . im pregnant again . but me and my bf is not ready to have the baby . i dont want to dump or kill the baby. i really need this baby hatch can help me . also my family cannot know that i am having baby now... its too complicated.

Hi I am a malaysian but staying overseas am I able to adopt a baby as I have been trying for the past 10 years but unsuccessful. I still have my roots in Malaysia can you please advice and how long is the process please.

Hi, i am a kindergarten teacher and my husband is a IT consultant. We married for ten years and i had done two times IVF but still unsucessful to get a baby. We are looking for a chinese baby. Please advise me or guide me how to get the baby from orphan care. Thank you.

Hi, I am Singaporean expat residing in Malaysia for 5 years. Can I adopt a baby. I am single and it is frustrating that everywhere I inquire, I must prove that I have been married to qualify the adoption services. I hope you can help me.
Thank you.
Zarah